Baggage
by hay its mar-ay
Summary: Gabriella has a dark past and has been mentally scarred for life, or so she thinks. A mutual friends wedding brings her and Troy Bolton together and there is an undeniable spark between them. But you know what they say: never date a girl with baggage.
1. And She's Off

**A/ N- hello readers! Wow I sound robotic. But anyways thanks for taking interest in this story. It is my first troyella story, not my first story ever or my first hsm story but I really love troyella stories (My Laker Boyfriend is one of my favorites EVER it's by Zac is my. Life and you should seriously check it out) and I decided I'd try and take a stab at writing one. I hope u like it please give me feedback on what you think, reviews are VERY appreciated!**

**NOTES- I did have a few inspirations for this story to make it what it is. One is an episode of the show "How I Met Your Mother" it's called 'Plus One' form season three and two the movie "Valentine's Day" (you'll see how) the rest is straight from my mind. Also, the word 'tia' means aunt in Spanish.**

**DISCLAIMER- I own absolutely nothing except a few OC's**

I decided on comfy casual for the flight to New York. Sure I'd been on longer but still. I pulled on my skinny jeans, black Uggs, and a plain black tee with a crème colored cardigan pulled over. I tugged my hello kitty suitcase along while walking through the doorway to my room after putting my wavy black hair in a messy bun, damn this thing was heavy.

"Tia Luz I'm ready" I called into the living room of my small apartment. Since my mom…wasn't around anymore my aunt had offered to take me to the airport instead of my having to take a taxi, claiming that no teenager should be out and about alone at night, she also said I wasn't responsible because I didn't get an earlier flight.

I think it would've been a lot less responsible if I skipped the two journalism classes I had that afternoon, I'm nineteen and had adjusted to living without anyone but my two roommates to depend on, Those two roommates who were barely ever around, but I was still incredibly grateful when someone offered to do something for me. Sure it got lonely and sad but I kept myself busy so I wouldn't have to think about _it_, about what happened, and times like these when I get to see my mothers side of the family, well the only one who still talks to me is Tia Luz, but like I said I'm grateful.

Luz appeared now in the doorway to the kitchen where I was looking into our refrigerator for a Monster energy drink but was having trouble due to the clutter of Chinese food take out containers and pizza boxes that were stacked on top of each other. Kind of typical for first year college students I guess, though pretty gross for girls if you decide to be stereotypical about it.

"Gabriella, this is disgusting, how can you live like this?" my aunt exclaimed in her heavy Spanish accent as she peered over my shoulder into the mess. I quickly snatched a Sobe and slammed the beer stained door closed, standing in front of it so said beer stains wouldn't be visible.

"Tia, you didn't have to come all the way over here! Thank you so much now we're going to be late." I gestured towards the door and let her lead the way out, slinging my shoulder bag over my shoulder and pulling my suitcase.

Once we were in the car A/C blasting even in the mid-winter months. Or what were supposed to be anyways. It was always uncomfortably hot in Albuquerque except for February; February was my favorite month because it was always the perfect weather. Then again I do hate February because of Valentines Day. My thoughts were interrupted as Tia Luz spoke.

"When is Ashley's wedding Saturday or Sunday?" that brought me back to the whole reason I was going back to New York in the first place since I relocated after... the incident. Ashley, the girl I went through training bras and first dates with was getting married. I didn't know the guy but it seemed as though she really was in love, even at twenty. Personally I don't think love exists but all I hope is that she's happy, that will make me happy.

"Saturday afternoon, the bachelorette party is tonight and she really hopes I'll make it in time, I am part of the wedding court after all." My aunt gave me a disapproving look when I said the words bachelorette party, two words which were usually linked with hooking up and getting so wasted somebody was bound to oversleep and miss the wedding itself.

"Gabriella…" she turned her head slightly towards me with an I-don't-like-this look in her eyes. Her eyes looked just like my mom's, gray with little specks of yellow, so similar that I had to turn to look out the window or the replay of that night would go through my head.

"I'll be fine, I promise." Completely true, I don't really drink too much and unless I do drink and get pretty wasted I don't hook up with random people, hell I don't even kiss them, I'm usually the one holding the hair back not having mine held.

Once nearing the South West terminal my aunt thoroughly interrogated me on where I would be staying and with who, when I was getting back and if I she could pick me up and to call when I landed. Honestly I was kind of happy to jump out of her truck after saying my goodbyes, I was glad she was still associating with me unlike everyone else, but I wasn't really in the mood for all the questioning.

"Don't forget to call!" she called just before I was about to close the door.

"I wont, thank so much again! Love you!" with that I made my way through the Albuquerque airport in the next hour and settled at my gate while drinking a caramel frappechino and checking my facebook page.

**Gabriella Montez** is on her way to NY! Luv u Ash! 3 50 seconds ago via mobile device

I scrolled down to see a few more status updates before a flight attendant announced my section to board. I trashed the empty Starbucks cup and slipped my phone into my bag. I handed the cheery women my boarding pass and heard the little ding noise as she scanned it.

"Thank you for flying with South West airlines ma'am." I took my pass out of her hand while flashing her a small smile and continuing on inside the plane.

"Ah, 14C here it is." I said quietly to myself as I swung into my seat and pulled my phone out to send Ashley one last text before having to turn it off.

TO ASHLEY

ON MY WAY! ILY C U SOON

GABBY

"ladies and gentlemen welcome to flight 1169 with non-stop service to New York City at this time we ask that you power off all electronic devices, this includes cell phones, laptop computers, basically anything with an on/off switch please-"

"You're in my seat." An obnoxious guy's voice spoke above me, I was about to tell him that he couldn't speak to me that way when I looked up to make contact the most beautiful electric oceany blue eyes I'd ever seen in my life.

**A/N Alright so there's chapter one! I hope you liked it! I know it was kind've action less but it was more like an introduction chapter. Hopefully you keep reading? I'd be so happy if you reviewed; flames are welcome and honestly appreciated. Can I see two reviews if any for a second chapter? I'll only continue if u guys want me to. Review, please & thank you for reading at all!**

**Xoxo,**

**Mary**


	2. AN from me: READ

Hello my awesomely wonderful readers! Alright so by now you have probably realized that this is not an actual chapter. I'm very depressed to announce that my Microsoft word on my lap top (where I write chapters) is not functioning properly. Well, it's not functioning at all, I'm writing this on notepad which I am pretty much incapable of writing a good chapter on, I don't know why it just aggravates me. It makes me SO, SO, SO, SO, SO, SO, SO (let's just pretend I wrote so like five hundred more times) because I actually have chapter two all typed up, I typed it up two days after I posted chapter one. THANKS SO MUCH TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED CHAPTER ONE! I got five reviews on an intro. Chapter! That's ah-mazing! So I usually put shout-outs at the start of each new chapter from people who reviewed the previous ones, basically thanking you for reviewing, giving answers to any questions you may have had in your review, or feedback on any input you might have included on what you wanted to happen etc., etc. so since I honestly don't know when my Microsoft will start working again so I can upload the next chapter *tear tear* I will try and keep you posted on my progress in trying to fix it, or if it takes more than two weeks I will probably just rewrite the chapter entirely, because I love you guys =] so since I don't have any actual content yet I guess I'll just give you shout-outs now. Sorry again, so so sorry! ='[

SHOUT-OUTS

Chapter one

Poppy Bradford

Haha, everyone loves some good Troyella =] I was trying to go into detail, and I am so happy I could do the 'paint a picture in your head' thing because I always found it immensely difficult, but I guess I'm succeeding! Thank you for the feedback, it helps me write chapters better for the sake of you guys. Thanks so much for reviewing!

AddyD90

I'm glad you liked it, even if it was an intro. Chapter, thank you so much for reviewing =]

Bluebell140

I'm trying to make you guys slightly curious, I'm glad it's working;] thank you so much for reviewing the first chapter!

Pumpkinking5

Yesss! I'm so glad that people can realize significance of the title, because it definitely has a lot of it for future chapters, I wasn't sure if all readers knew the slang definition for baggage, I didn't want people to connect it to like her hello kitty suitcases or whatever. Thanks so much for reassuring me and for reviewing! It means A LOT!

Clembo29

I'm glad to hear that! I'll try to update as soon as possible, despite my technical difficulties. Thank you so much for reviewing!

And don't think I forgot about those of you who subscribed or favorite me (usually I wont type the names but I will just for now):

Backstrokin' babe and Clembo29-thanks for the favorites!

AlamancexGurl, Bluebell140, chri5tin3, Clembo29, jan14, lilsnax09, Poppy Bradford, X(dot)RizzyBabi(dot)X –thank you all so much for adding me to your alert lists!

Again im so totally sorry for this! I will keep you posted on my progress! =[

Xoxo,

Mary


	3. Enjoy your flight

**A/N- my tawesome readers (yea u guys r so awesome I had to make up a whole new word to describe you: totally+ awesome= tawesome!) ha aim such a corn ball. But yea as I hope you know from my post [Chapter 2 is an author's note from me] I was having serious technical difficulties. I did a lot to get this typed up (well retyped) and on here as soon as possible so I hope you aren't angry by how long it took to update, usually I'm MUCH faster, and that it isn't as long or detailed and probably a little cruddy, next chap. will be better. Alright so I did shout-outs to people who reviewed already and I bet you just wanna read actual chapter two already so without further ado, enjoy! Review =]**

**DISCLAIMER- I don't own anything except a few OC's that wont come up much past chapter four. I do not own any of the high school musical franchise, and probably never will.**

* * *

I stared into this guy's eyes; it was as if I could just dive into them. His hair was a blondish brown color, like sand, his bangs swept to the left and he was wearing blue jeans with a plaid button down shirt, open with a tee underneath and sleeves cuffed to the elbows.

I saw him looking me up and down, AKA checking me out. I could feel my cheeks heating up a tad and already knew they were turning a shade of pink on my naturally tan skin. Does he like what he sees?

Whoa! Gab, get a hold of yourself this is some random ass guy on a plane to New York City. He could be a murderer, a pedo, anything! Even if he was delicious.

Oh my gosh stop it!

Another man behind him cleared his throat and that's when I came back down to earth and realized the freaking Greek god had spoken to me.

"Uh, no it's not?" I responded shakily, sounding more like a question, as I pulled my boarding pass out of my back pocket.

"Yes it is." His voice wasn't obnoxious anymore as it had been before it wasn't exactly nice either, more exasperated.

"This is, uh, seat 14C." I stammered again. Damnit Gabby, he's just a person! Well, a person who happened to look like the Greek gods depicted in seventh grade history books.

"No, that's seat 14C" he stated, pointing to the seat just to the left and next to the window.

"OH! I'm SO sorry, here let me just-"I began apologizing while trying my best to get up without looking like a complete spaz.

"It's alright I prefer the window anyways." He flashed me a perfect white smile. I staggered back into my seat as a small line of people started to form behind him, all looking impatient and beginning to get pissed off, including a girl no older then me who had a toddler balanced on her hip.

Either that cutie is a relative or she leans over the crib every night wishing her little drunken mistake sweet dreams as she scampers out the door wearing corsets and thigh high boots. Either way I didn't like upsetting people so I got out of the way as quick as possible. The guy put the fleece I hadn't realized he was holding into the overhead bin and swiftly swung over my knees and into his seat, not even brushing against me.

I don't know WHY I had even wanted a complete stranger pushed up against me but I SO did! I re-buckled my seat belt as people flashed me annoyed looks while passing to get their seats. Looking down, I let my hair out to cover the rest of my face.

"Flight attendants prepare for take off." The captain announced after all the mandatory safety checks and demonstrations and everyone was in their seat, soon after we were in the air.

I pushed my hair behind me ear and turned my head to see what the guy was doing.

Gab! Why do you want to know! God damnit! I forced myself to look away and down at my feet, kind've wishing that I had taken Ashley's advice that I had found crazy at the time, and going on the flight with the outfit for her bachelorette party. I of course had found this insane, but now I honestly wished this guy would notice me other than the once-over he hadn't looked at me again. He's some weirdo stranger guy sitting next to me on a grimy flight, why do I want him to notice me? I'm obviously whacked.

"Hello passengers we are now at our set altitude of two hundred thousand feet in the air and certified electronics are now permitted. Thank you for flying with us and the flight attendants should be around with a complimentary soft drink."

I bent over to reach into my bag that was resting at my feet from all the shuffling, pulling my iPod touch out. I kept digging for my white apple headphones to emerge from underneath the clutter but they never did.

Ugh, I left them in Taylor's car last week! What the hell am I going to do now, it's only a matter of time before that toddler, whose sitting inconveniently behind me, begins to whine or something. Let's not jinx it gabs. I _could_ do my homework-the homework I wasn't planning on doing until the night I got back, Wednesday. As I was just about to bend over the slide my laptop and its case out of my bag _he_ spoke.

"We could share if you want." He was holding out his left ear bud towards me. Was he watching me? I couldn't decide if it was creepy or amazing.

"Uh…no it's okay."

"Don't worry I'm not some sort of New York gang banger, I'm not gonna hang you with my head phones or something." He grinned at me as I giggled a bit and took the ear bud he was offering me.

"So, do you always share headphones with random men on planes?" I looked at him first a little embarrassed before I realized the amused expression on his perfectly chiseled face.

Sure, I hadn't had a boyfriend in a while, since _it_ happened, but I was still young, and a girl.

"Only when they're cute and I know their names. What's yours?" a flirted subtly, he was still this dude on a plane.

He cocked his right eyebrow before responding.

"Troy, and let me guess yours is Gabriella?" He grinned as he said this and I gave a puzzled expression before pointing towards my neck. Then I remember that I fastened my slightly ghetto, but still cute gold plated necklace with my name on it on before I had jumped out of Tia Luz's truck.

I giggled as I tied my hair back into a high pony.

"So what do you like to listen to?" he was scrolling through his iPod, exactly the same as mine minus the bejeweled purple case.

"Eh, anything except rap, country, and heavy metal."

"So you like pop and R&B?" he said giving me a look I couldn't yet determine the definition behind.

"Hey! Hip-hop too!" I defended myself, a little too loudly earning a shush from the assumed teen mom behind us.

"Uh-huh, sure." The amused expression didn't leave his face as he spoke sarcastically. "Let me guess you're thinking that I won't have Lady Gaga on my iPod because I'm a guy but you don't want to ask because it would seem too 'forward'" Troy said matter-of-factly while putting air quotes around 'forward'.

"Uh, not what I was thinking at all." I blushed again.

That really wasn't what I was thinking, but it was okay for him to believe that it was…for now. People believed a lot of things about me that weren't true…A LOT.

"Mmm, and your favorite color is blue and you'd wear those black and white converses every day if you could because shoes don't matter to you, because you're a guy."

"Touché." He grinned as I giggled.

"So, Troy, we still haven't decided on music."

"Oh yea I forgot about that!" he looked down to the iPod nestled in his hand.

"A.D.D." I said under my breath looking down.

"Hey you watch it!" I giggled while he just looked at me, still with that grin and looking amused. I wonder what he's thinking about…

GAB, get a hold of yourself, who cares if you know his name, he is STILL some random ass guy on a plane that you'll never see past baggage claim! He shuffled his fingers over the buttons and turned the iPod so the screen was horizontal.

"Uh?" I looked at him quizzically but he didn't acknowledge me and continued to look down at the screen.

I stopped looking at him like some creepo

"…_all you see is violence in movies and sex on TV where are those good old fashioned values on which we used to rely?"_

I immediately broke out into laughter at the"Family Guy" opening credits.

"Really?" I asked between laughs.

"What? _This_ is good television! Not any of that "Gossip Girl" shit."

"What makes you think I watch "Gossip Girl", stereotypical much?" I was pretending to be angry but cracking into another fit of laughter blew my cover. He began to laugh too. "And you know about Gossip Girl _why?"_

"Hey! I have a sister; she used to watch it on _my_ computer before I moved to New York." He rolled his eyes but started laughing again, I laughed with him although I felt disappointed suddenly. He lived in New York, so what? So what if he doesn't live in Albuquerque, he's just some guy on a plane with beautiful eyes and muscles clearly defined underneath his t-shirt and hair to die for, so what? Oh gosh Gabriella you are such a fucktard.

Must. Stop. Flirting. NOW!

* * *

**A/N- at last! The real chapter two, I'm so sorry about my tech mess and how long it took, I promise next chapter will be faster (and longer i cut this short so i could get it to you quickly)…well as long as you keep reviewing which I don't doubt because you readers are awesome.. or for use of my corny word: tawesome. But anyways REVIEW! Please and thank you =]**

**Xoxo,**

**Mary**


	4. You Don't

**A/N-thank you for even reading this, i know it's been ages and in my last chapter i promised my update would be faster, thinking my tech-mess was all sorted out. everything is not what it seems , i guess because i actually had to re-write this chapter about three or four times due to data loss (from a virus on my damn computer) and slight writers block. well i bet you're sick of my excuses so her just read and thanks for stickin' with me! **

**NOTE- i do want to mention that there are quite a few OC's in this story and the characters that belong to hsm r a tad OOC and that in case you havent noticed, its an AU**

**second, i have read quite a few stories in the high school musical section of the fanfiction site, so if you have as well you might realized i do seem to mix a few techniques from other authors with my own so if you are one of those authors please don't hesitate to PM or review to tell me (if you tihnk i am distinctly using your personal techniques) if it bothers you**

**MINI SHOUT-OUT**

**bluebell140**

**im glad you loved it. thanks for sticking with this story and thanks a million for reviewing, and you said you couldn't wait so here ya go! =]**

**DISCLAIMER- anything you recognize ain't mine**Sixty-five more minutes of a flight I wasn't sure I wanted to get off of. Yes, Troy is H-O-T but he's just some random guy, who, like I said, could be some sort of creep.

* * *

"Yea Gossip Girl…funny." I tried my best to sound peppy and, well, not as hyperactive as my mind was; sixty-five minutes also meant complete and not unusual possibility for me to make everything incredibly awkward and uncomfortable for the both of us AND everyone sitting in a four foot radius of us.

Meanwhile, while my mind was going topsy turvey, the family guy episode was continuing on, and Troy didn't seem to notice I had stopped speaking. Kind've douche-y but I don't care. Or I'm not supposed to anyways. Alright Gab, you totally do.

Calculating the show in its entirety, it would be thirty minutes, a half hour, but commercial free it would only be approximately seventeen minutes. Seventeen minutes that I would not speak, laugh when appropriate, then politely return the headphone and whip out my laptop.

"Earth to Gabriella, please tell me what the moon is like because it looks like you're on it." I glanced over at Troy with yet another blush gracing my face.

"Waddaya mean?" I knew what he meant, I guess he knew that I knew too because he only flashed me that brilliant smile again.

Fourteen minutes in which I can not fall any harder for you Troy so shush! That's what I _felt_ like saying, but I kept quiet, speaking up isn't my forte, except for the one time, and look where that's gotten 'ya, Gabs.

Shaking it off I looked over at him, God must have been smiling down on me because Troy was totally in Quahog with the rest of the Family Guy characters until the final credits for the episode rolled.

"Funny stuff…" He looked at me with the same expression from the moon comment but said it quizzically, as a question rather than an opinion or statement.

Gosh, why am I an English minor?

"One thousand percent agreed. Thanks, by the way, because you sir are by far the most fun person I have ever sat next to on a commercial flight." I let my lips upturn a tad to accompany my slightly sarcastic tone.

"Wow that was just, like, a big word and you called me sir, what do I look like a teacher?" this time I couldn't stifle the laugh that was building up- it wasn't even that funny. That corny issue of _Seventeen's 'Traumarama' _is so relevant right now: 'You know a girl likes you when they laugh at everything you say.' Cue the girl laughing. But I am not seventeen anymore and thus I need to get a hold of myself.

Ah, my plan, duh, damn I am way to over tired.

Without a word I yanked the bud out of my air and placed it in his lap.

"Thanks again." Why? Why, Troy, must you be one of the most attractive male specimens I have ever laid my eyes on? And that's a lot; I lived in the heart of New York City for over five years of my 'love life', the one that never really took off so well.

I could tell his eyebrows were scrunching underneath his side swept bangs from the corner of my eye, a trick I had finally mastered, but he didn't say anything.

I leaned over to slide my lap top out of my carry on bag, and, rest assured, head-butted with the plastic folding tray attached to the seat in front of me.

_Smooth, Gabs._

Blowing the stray bangs out of my face and slowly lifted my hand up to my forehead-still frozen in the same position-those things are hard!

"You okay down there?" I heard several chuckles coming not only from Troy but from a guy in the next aisle who had apparently been observing me or something.

Inwardly groaning, I sat back up, customized purple laptop in hands, and attempted to be nonchalant.

"Peachy." I didn't look him in the eyes but I did smile, genuinely this time, and then let my dark tresses return back to hiding the left side of my body from head to elbow. Thankful for the free Wi-Fi I pulled up Mozilla Firefox and logged onto my facebook page for the second time that evening. While scrolling through my lifestream a message popped up in the right hand corner.

Why I felt the need to look at Troy was completely beyond me. Okay well I was slightly hoping that maybe he was looking over my shoulder and passed what qualified as a protective shield, which was actually just my well conditioned and glossy black hair, and that whenever I got back online I would have a friend request from Troy McHotterson.

Pathetic.

But when I brushed away my 'shield' I was made aware that Troy wasn't looking over my shoulder and mentally telling himself to add me even though he did meet me on a slightly sleezy flight, but that he was sound asleep while leant up against the miniature closed window to his own left.

Nice.

Looking back at my laptop I realized the message was from Cindy, one of my old friends before….you know what happened and another one of the five bridesmaids in Ashley's wedding.

Ashley's wedding, you're long distance best friend who still loves you despite what happened almost a year ago's wedding, the whole reason why you're even going back to this place which left you scarred for months, Gabby, not to flirt with a guy who you're never going to see ever again.

Cindy 8:47pm

GABRIELLA ROSA MONTEZ!

You 8:50pm

CYNTHIA YOU DON'T HAVE A MIDDLE NAME HATCHET!

Cindy 8:50pm

I can NOT wait any longer for you to frickin get here beeyotch

You 8:51pm

Yep because being called a beeyotch gets better with time.

Uhm I love you too?

Cindy 8:53pm

Well thts nt wut I ment but ily2

You 8:53pm

Uhhh, what did you mean then?

Cindy 8:54

Ashley is a TOTAL bridezilla and ive been filling in on your maid of honor duties since u live across the country! Thank god you're the one that planned the bachelorette party tonight because honestly everyone else would just lock her in a closet w/ the way shes bin for the last weeks! And no one can match ur ridiculously high standards fro perfection anyways

You 8:55pm

C, did you just say I planned the bachelorette party! i was supposed to?

Cindy 8:56pm

OMG u didn't kno?

You 8:57pm

No! holy crap and if ash is as bad as u say she is (which I doubt =/ )then im going to be so totally screwed…?

Cindy 8:59pm

Trust me, I'm telling you the censored version but that's completely beyond the point right now THE BACHELORETTE PARTY IS LIKE ONLY A LITTLE BIT LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE WEDDING ITSELF, AND U DIDN'T PLAN IT!

You 9:00pm

Im so so sorry! Ah what am I gonna do, shes gonna eat me alive! And no its SO not….

Cindy 9:01pm

I just realized, how are you online right now, or did u forget about your flight here too!

You 9:01pm

Ha-ha very funny it's called wi-fi and I have like a 45 minutes to plan an entire bachelorette party for Ashley and I can NOT let her down!

Cindy 9:05pm

NO SHIT U CANT CUZ SHE'LL EAT U LIKE A GUMMY WORM

You 9:05pm

dnt say tht, its so mean

Cindy 9:07pm

U wuld know…anyways u bettr lk get to calling ppl-I'd suggest calling someone about this

You 9:07pm

NICE real nice! Ugh, who am I supposed to call?

Cindy 9:08pm

I don't know like the best man or something listen I g2g the dragon Is roaring my name downstairs, bye gab I'll see u in lk two hours—thank god !

You 9:09pm

WAT? I DON'T KNOW THE GROOM LET ALONE THE BEST MAN, CINDYYY!

You're message could not be delivered.

Alright so I love Ashley forever, I mean she's stood with me through _everything_ but I've never been to a bachelorette party let alone planned one, and I don't even know the groom to call his best man, and what on earth would the best man help with the brides party? Why wasn't I notified of this earlier!

Alright Gabriella stop freaking out how hard could it be? The internet is right at you're fingertips, the guide to urban life.

After my mind went into overdrive I discovered that bachelorette parties on TV aren't over done and fake- the maid of honor is really supposed to plan the hwole party, I'm really supposed to rent a limo or party bus, I'm really supposed to hire some strippers, I'm really supposed to pick up the tab at some high end club that we're supposed to go to.

I'm in college, I have, like three hundred dollars in my bank account, maybe.

Plus, hiring a stripper seems so…dirty.

Suck it up! You have to this!

My fingers glided across the keyboard of my phone-which was on airplane mode- as I made myself a to-do list for all the things I couldn't do on board. After finishing with that I looked at the clock. Nine thirteen. Only about a half hour before we were set to land.

Shakily typing 'male strippers in New York City for cheap' into the Bing search bar I small shiver went down me spine.

"wow, I had no idea you were _that_ kind of girl." Troy's voice startled me. This kid has the most amazing timing.

The heat on my cheeks was more like a blazing wild fire and I felt like shrinking into an ant.

"uh-ummm-uh…see it's that….I don't have to answer to you!" I gained more confidence towards the end of my stammering.

"You don't."

* * *

**A/N- Thank you all so much for reading! i know it was pretty eventless and slightly unstructured and i know your probabally tired of reading my excuses, but i really wanted to churn something out there for you and i do want to mention that this story is jsut getting started and i hope you stick with me! i love all my readers, subscribers, favoriters, and of course those reviewers i love oh so much! i really hope you liked this chapter and i promise i WILL update much faster! more then four reviews on this chapter will get you another chapter by the end of the week, just sayin'**

**love you all, thanks for reading**

**Xoxo,**

**Mary**

**Oh yeah,and happy new year 2011's gonna kill x3**


	5. So, yeahh

**[PLEASEEEE READ THIS!]A/N- okay, before you want to kill me let me explain why I've been COMPLETELY MIA. See usually, when I'm having some sort of issues like writers block and technical stuff, I'll use a chapter as an A/N because well, who religiously checks my profile for updates on what I'm doing? Basically no one, so there's really no good info on it except picture links from some of my other stories, so yeah that's why I unfortunately have to do A/Ns as chapters, but anyways [KEEP READING, don't load ur shotguns yet] I dunno how many of you are familiar with catholic/ Christian-ish religion, but, if ur unaware, 40 days before easter, theres this thing called ash wednsday, but yeah let me not be a priest, to get to the point, youre supposed to sacrifice [or give up] something for those 40 days (up until easter) and I gave up anything high school musical related. Yea, I know, it killed me, I couldn't write, listen to the songs [which I do abnormally frequent for someone my age] read ANY hsm fics [I know some of the authors' stories im subscribed to read this, so don't think ive stopped liking ur stories], or watch the movies. But yeah, I really hope u don't hate me because I didn't give u a warning before I went MIA. (today is easter) I did NOT give up on this story and I am STILL going to finish up writing it, at least if you want me to. I know I don't deserve it, but if you DO want me to review please? Thanks so much, love all you reviewers and readers! X3**

**So, because you are ALL so amazing for even reading that up above and the story, reviewing, whatever you do associated with me and my writing what so ever, here is a chunk of the beginning of chapter four of Baggage.[it's short, sorry ]**

**lINE**

Gabriella POV

"So, yeah, exactly." I stammered yet again, come on Gabby, get your life together! As I positioned my shoulders towards him and tilted my lap top away, body language IS everything, Troy poked my side. "Did you just _poke _me?" I turned slowly in disbelief tof ace him.

"So what if I did?"

"Why on earth would you _poke_ me?"

"Why not? Tony backwards."

"_What?"_

"feisty. Here, give me your hand." Phony surprise laced through is words, Troy reached for the hand that I wasn't absentmindedly twirling hair around. After attempting to sub tly remove my hand from my tresses, the lone gold ring on my index finger just HAD to get tangled up. Smoothe, Gabriella, real smoothe.

"Having issues? I just asked for your hand."

"NOT having issues, I mean just…uh, don't touch my hand."

Eyebrow cocked, and annoyingly adorable grin, he reached over and unhooked the ring from my hair swiftly.

"Do you think your cool now, Mr. ocean eyes?" ever get that feeling where you said something, and it sounded way better in your head than when actually spoken out loud? I do. Alllll the timeeee.

"What did you just call me?" oh dear god, how did I get myself into this?


End file.
